The latest edition of BBC Radio 4’s ‘Beyond Belief’ programme looks at religious attitudes to time. The programme features contributions throughout the programme from Coventry Quaker Eleanor Nesbitt, alongside people from other faith traditions.
You can listen to the 30 minute programme online via the BBC website, or download it as a podcast (search ‘BBC Beyond Belief’ in your podcast app).
The full blurb for the programme:
For the Christian world, January 1st is New Years’ Day but for many religious communities it is not a particularly auspicious day because religious calendars differ and, consequently, different religions celebrate the beginning of their New Year on different dates. The difference in religious calendars is just one way in which religions disagree about the nature of time. Some, notably Christianity, Judaism and Islam think it is linear; that time began at the moment of creation and is leading us to the End. However, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs believe that time is cyclical; that it goes round in an unceasing circle of birth, death and re-incarnation. Does it matter? And does what we believe about time affect the way we live our lives?”